Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta is reportedly set to renew terms on new contract with the Catalan club before the end of the season.
Spanish publication Marca have reported that Andres Iniesta is set to put pen to paper on a new contract with Barcelona that would see him sign for two seasons with the additional option of another year. The deal will be announced before the end of the season and contains a key additional clause.
The report states that Barcelona are negotiating the last details of Iniesta’s contract renewal and the agreement is well advanced. Additionally, the Blaugrana want one of their most decorated players to be one of the key figures running the famed La Masia academy once he hangs up his boots.
Barcelona intend to continue with their club policy of relying heavily on youngsters graduating from the youth setup, and the board of directors at Camp Nou want to see Iniesta lead the academy project in the future.
Indeed, Iniesta is one of the epitomes of just what the La Masia academy represents in the world of football. The 32-year-old joined the Catalan club more than 20 years ago, rapidly progressing through the ranks before making his senior debut in 2002.
Since then, Iniesta has not only been ever present in the centre of the park for Barcelona, but has also established himself as one of the best midfielders to have ever played the game. On top of that, he has won everything there is to win for a player.
Iniesta’s list of trophies include eight La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League, a FIFA World Cup and two European Championship wins and more. And even though his best years might be behind him, Iniesta has continued to prove just how important he is for Barcelona this season.
While the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar may be the headline grabbers, Iniesta continues to orchestrate the team’s attacking play magnificently to allow the famed attacking trio more freedom to express themselves in the final third.
And while there were concerns a few months ago that he would move to Juventus for the final years of his career, it is Iniesta’s intention to remain with Barcelona for life. All that remains now is for Iniesta to respond to the proposal and set the wheels into motion for the next phase of his career, whenever he decides to call it a day.
